Teenage suicide
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Teenage suicide is an act where a teenager feels it necessary to kill themselves, suicide.
Although the suicide rate among youth significantly decreased in the mid-1990s, suicide deaths remain high in the 15 to 24 age group with 3,971 suicides in 2001 and over 132,000 suicide attempts in 2002 making it the third leading cause of death for those aged 15 to 24 in the United States [1]. More preventive measures have been taken in the last ten years including increased understanding of the risk factors and causes and spreading information to schools and parents.
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Overview
Psychologists have identified the teenage years as one of the most difficult phases of human life. Although they are often seen as a time to enjoy friendship, hang out with friends and perform other activities that adults would not usually do, often this period causes adolescents a large amount of stress. Many changes in the human mind take place during pubescence. Adolescents may begin to consider spiritual or philosophical questions such as what happens after people die. To some, death may be an unknown idea and result in a great sense of worry. Others may accept death and suicide from watching news reports or from reading a novel depicting a suicidal character. Without proper parenting regarding suicide, a teenager may feel lost on the idea.
Hormones, peer pressure, self-esteem, expectations, and academic responsibilities all contribute in providing stress in a teenager's life. A lapse in one of these categories can result in suicidal tendencies. Often, a teenager's suicide attempt may be a cry for help, because he or she may not want to seek help personally because of fear of dishonor or shame.
Population differences
Male adolescents commit suicide at a rate four times greater than that of female adolescents, although suicide attempts by females are twice as frequent as those by males. A possible reason for this is because the method of suicide for males is typically that of a firearm, with a 78-90% chance of fatality. Females are more likely to try a different method, such as ingesting poison. [2]
Suicide rates vary for different ethnicities due to cultural differences. In 1998, white Americans accounted for 84% of all youth suicides, 61% male, 23% female. However, the suicide rate for Native Americans was 19.3 per 100,000, exceedingly higher than the overall rate (8.5 per 100,000). The suicide rate for African-Americans has increased more than two-fold since 1981. A national survey of high school students conducted in 1999 reported that Hispanic students are twice as likely to attempt suicide than white students. [3]
A controversial U.S. government's study, titled Report of the Secretary's Task Force on Youth Suicide, found that gay youth are two to three times more likely to attempt suicide than other young people. Several researchers suggest that bisexual and youth uncertain of their sexual orientation may be at higher risk for suicidal behavior than self-proclaimed homosexual teenagers. Many gay teenagers who commit suicide also suffer from mental illnesses or substance abuse disorders, making the connection more complicated. The American standard of institutionalized and internalized homophobia also leads LGBT youth to think (sometimes correctly) that their parents will kill them or throw them out for being gay. It is impossible to know the suicide rate of homosexual youth because many families believe homosexuality to be something shameful and something to be hidden. Further research is currently being done to explain the prevalence of suicide among homosexual youths. [4] [5] [6]
High-risk groups
- Teenagers who have attempted suicide before. Approximately a third of all teenagers who have committed suicide have made a previous suicide attempt. [7]
- Rape victims.
- Those who participate in substance abuse.
- Adolescents who have a mental disorder, such as clinical depression, social anxiety, or bipolar disorder. Over 90% of teen suicide victims have a mental disorder, such as depression, and/or a history of alcohol or drug abuse.
- Teenagers of conduct disorder (which is a high level of aggressiveness).
- GLBT teens
Suicide prevention
Promoting overall mental health among adolescents is key to reducing possible suicidal thoughts. Some people argue that limiting young people's access to lethal weapons, such as firearms may be a pivotal deterrent. Some school-based youth suicide awareness programs exist to try to increase high-school students' awareness of the problem, provide knowledge about the behavioral characteristics of teens at risk, and describe available treatment or counseling resources. However, some research has shown that this may have an unintended negative effect of suggesting suicide as an option for teenagers. [8]
What to do
Template:Seealso Many doctors recommend that teenagers be taken to a hospital immediately after they express the desire to commit suicide. There are many methods of helping teenagers with suicide in mind, both medical and psychological. Most teenagers who think of suicide believe their problems are too hard or embarrassing to talk about, so in order to subside the action it is important for a helper to show they can be trusted and talked to. Seeing a psychologist is widely recommended as well. Psychologists can improve a teenager's vision of life by listening to them and making them feel it will work out for the best.
Doctors recommend that helpers do not ask the teenager what reason the teenager had to think of such a thing to do; rather, one should listen and wait for the teenager to gain trust enough so that he or she finally can feel comfortable in talking about the problem. Helpers should, however, show understanding of the teenager's situation.
Doctors also recommend that helpers do not mention any "reasons to live" to the teenager, as that might send the teenager back into depressing thoughts, e.g. "What reason do I have to live?".
There are several telephone help numbers for help on teenage suicide, depending on what country one lives in. Also, emergency numbers should be contacted immediately, in case the teenager decides to go on with the attempt despite advice to the contrary.
Media coverage
In the United States in particular, the issue has been the subject of considerable media attention. After three teenagers from Southern states committed suicide within a week in 1990, many news outlets began speaking about the problem. Media coverage increased further after the Columbine shootings and subsequent school shootings. The 2000 movie The Virgin Suicides helped remind the public that teenage girls are also prone to suicide.
A string of teenage suicides during the early 1980s in the Dallas suburb of Plano, a posh community, gained wide media coverage. A total of twelve suicides and more than 60 suicide attempts were reported there.
Further reading
- Alan L. Berman; David A Jobes; and Morton M. Silverman. Adolescent Suicide: Assessment and Intervention. 2nd Edition. APA 2005
External links
- Teen suicide articles on warning signs and prevention
- Teenage suicide prevention
- The Trevor Project - The Trevor Helpline [9]